Refrigerating method and apparatus



Aug. 15, 1933. B. F RANDEL 1,922,712

REFRIGERATING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Aug. 22, 1930 nu' www '1 M 5 WH MHWMMW Patented Aug. 15, 1933 UNITED STATES REFRIGERATING METHOD AND APPARATUS Bo Folke Randel, San Diego, Calif.

Application August 22, 1930. Serial No. 477,038

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved refrigerating process and apparatus, and more particularly to a refrigerating system wherein a jet exhauster actuated by a moving stream of the liquid refrigerant is utilized to create a reduced pressure in theevaporating coil and also to compress the vaporized refrigerant before this refrigerant is condensed and returned to the evaporator.

Briefly described, a stream of liquid refrigerant is pumped from a storage and compression tank through a jet exhauster and back into the tank. This jet exhauster is connected up `with the evaporating coil or refrigerating element so as to withdraw the vaporized refrigerant therefrom and reduce the pressure therein so that further liquid refrigerant may be vaporized. The vaporized refrigerant is forced back into the compression tank along with the liquid stream of the hurling circuit and compressed therein, the compressed gas then flowing through a condenser where it is cooled and condensed to liquid form before being returned to the refrigerating coil.

The general object of this invention is to provide a new and improved refrigerating process and apparatus of the type briefly described hereinabove and disclosed more in detail in the specications which follow. Y

Another object is to provide a refrigerating process in which the energy of a moving body of the refrigerating medium is utilized to lower the pressure in the evaporating coil and increase the pressure in the condenser, and to cause a proper circulation of the refrigerating medium.

Another object is to provide in a refrigerating apparatus a jet exhauster actuated by`a mechanically propelled stream of the liquid refrigerant for maintaining the pressure differences in appropriate parts of the system whereby the refrigerant is successively changed from liquid to vapor form and vice versa.

Another object is to provide a simple, eflicient and economical means and method to compress a refrigerating medium and create a proper circulation through the refrigerating apparatus.

Another object is to provide a means of compressing a refrigerating medium by utilizing the force of a quantity of the liquid medium travel- 50 ing at high velocity.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more apparent-from the following detailed description of one approved form of apparatus operating according to the principles of 5 this invention.

In the accompanying drawing:

The figure indicates a diagrammatic elevation, partially in section, of the assembled refrigerating apparatus.

The principal features of the apparatus comprise a compressor A, a condenser B, an expansion valve C, an evaporating coil or refrigerating element D, and a jet exhauster E which functions to create the necessary pressure differences in the system and causes the refrigerant to circulate.

The compressor A comprises a closed storagie and separating tank 1 which normally is partially filled with liquid refrigerant indicated at 2, the space 3 above said liquid refrigerant being filled with compressed vaporized refrigerant as will be hereinafter apparent.

A centrifugal pump 4 is driven through shaft 5 from an electric motor 6 which is controlled through starter 7 by a thermostat 8 positionedV and the power supply for the motors is indicated by wires 11 and 12.

The pump 4 withdraws liquid refrigerant from s0 tank 1 through pipe 13 having an enlarged inlet end 14 in order to lessen the velocity of the liquid at this point. This liquid refrigerant is discharged from pump 4 through pipe 15 into receiving chamber 16 from which a jet of the liquid B5 refrigerant is projected from nozzle 17 through the exhausting chamber 18 into delivery tube 19 and thence back into tank 1. A vacuum is thus created in exhausting chamber 18 which causes vaporized refrigerant to be drawn in through pipe 20 from the evaporator D, this vaporized refrigerant being entrained in the jet and forced into the compression and separating tank 1. This tank is preferably equipped in its upper portion with baflie plates 21 and 22 adapted to break the 95 force of the liquid stream and more readily separate the liquid and the vapors which are projected into the tank from delivery tube 19.

The compressed vaporized refrigerant which accumulates in the space 3 in the upper portion 100 of tank 1 Will be forced out through pipe 23 provided with ow-control valve 24 into the condenser B. This condenser comprises a central tube 25 or a plurality of tubes through which the 105 refrigerant flows, and a surrounding water jacket 26 through which cooling water flows, the water being forced in through Apipe 2'7 and out through pipe 28. This water jacket will absorb heat from the compressed refrigerant causing same to liquefy, the liquid refrigerant accumulating in the receiver 29.

This liquid refrigerant is forced under pressure through pipe 30 to expansion valve C which feeds the refrigerant in limited quantities into the evaporating coil D wherein a low pressure or partial vacuum is maintained by the suction created by jet exhauster E.

As the relatively high pressure liquid refrig crant is permitted to expand into the low pressure existing in coil D, it will vaporize thus absorbing considerable quantities of heat from the space or substances adjacent coil D which are to be refrigerated. The low pressure vaporized refrigerant from the coil D is forced bythe jet exhauster E into the compressor A where the gas is compressed and then forced through condenser B where the heat acquired in the evaporator D is dissipated into the water flowing through the condenser. erant, when thus relieved of this heat, will condense or liquefy and the cycle is thus completed and this hfgh pressure liquid refrigerant is again ready to be fed into the evaporator D.

A pressure relief valve 31 is located in an outlet pipe 32 leading from tank 1, this valve being set to open when a predetermined maximum pressure is exceeded. Normally the valve will remain closed. Tank 1 should also be provided with a draw-off or drain plug as indicated at 33.

It will be noted that the high velocity jet of liquid refrigerant circulated through the jet exhauster E not only serves to provide the partial vacuum in the evaporator D but also serves to l compress the vaporized refrigerant in the tank A.

It will be noted that the refrigerating medium used in this apparatus consists of a liquid and a vapor, which is the same material in part liquid and part vapor form. l

Suitable mediums are such that the pressure difference between the high and low pressures used is. small, thus making it possible to operate with only medium velocities through the jet nozzles. Suitable mediums are hydrocarbon substances as hexane, pentane, etc., carbon bisulphid, carbon tetrachloride, dichloromethane, alcohols, monochloroethylene, ethers, benzol, etc.

While one suitable form of jet exhauster has been illustrated, it will be apparent that numerous other forms of exhausters koperating on the ejector principle could be substituted. Also other forms of vacuum pumps, wherein the vacuum is produced by means of a moving body of liquid, whether rotating and operating centrifugally, or projected longitudinally as a jet, would be suitable for use in this combination.

I claim:

1. The method of refrigeration consisting in circulating a body of refrigerant from a compression and storage space through a condensing space and a refrigerating space, mechanically imparting motion to a body of the liquid refrigerant and utilizing the energy of this moving liquid to lower the pressure in the refrigerating space whereby the liquid refrigerant in this space is vaporized and also to return the vaporized refrigerant along with the moving liquid to the compression space, condensing the compressed refrigerant in said condensing space and returning the resulting liquid to the refrigerating space.

2. The method of refrigeration consisting in circulating a body of refrigerant from a compression and storage space through a condensing space and a refrigerating space, mechanically imparting motion to a body of the liquid refrigerant The compressed vaporized refrigand utilizing this liquid as a jet projected through a suction space to lower the pressure in the refrigerating space whereby the liquid refrigerant in this space is vaporized and also to return the vaporized refrigerant along with the moving liquid to the compression space, condensing the compressed refrigerant in said condensing space and returning the resulting liquid to the refrigerating space.

3. Themethod of refrigeration consisting in vaporizing refrigerant in a refrigerating space, causing a stream of liquid refrigerant to circulate from and directly back into a compression space, utilizing the energy of this moving liquid stream to lower the pressure in the refrigerating space, return vaporized refrigerant along with the liquid stream to the compression space, and compress the fluids in this compression space, withdrawing compressed vapors from the compression space and condensing same in a condensing space, and returning the condensed refrigerant to the refrigerating space.

4. The method of refrigeration consisting in vaporizing refrigerant in a refrigerating space, causing a stream of liquid refrigerant to circulate from and directly back into a compression space, utilizing this liquid stream as a jet projected through a suction space to lower the pressure in the refrigerating space, return vaporized refrigerant along with the liquid stream to the compression space, and compress the fluids in this compression space, withdrawing compressed va. pors from the compression space and condensing same in a condensing space, and returning the condensed refrigerant to the refrigerating space.

5. The method of refrigeration consisting in vaporizing refrigerant in a refrigerating space, causing a stream of liquid refrigerant to circulate from and directly back into a compression space, utilizing the energy of this moving liquid stream to lower the pressure in the refrigerating space, return vaporized refrigerant along with the liquid stream to the compression space, and compress the fluids in this compression space, condensing the compressed vapors in a condensing 120 space and returning liquid refrigerant to the refrigerating space.

6. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a compression tank, a body of liquid refrigerant, a condenser, an expansion valve, an evaporating and 125 refrigerating coil, a jet exhauster adapted to withdraw vaporized refrigerant from the coil and lower the pressure therein, and means for causing a stream of liquid refrigerant from the tank to flow through the jet exhauster and back together with the vaporized refrigerant into the tank.

'7. In a' refrigerating apparatus, a closed compression tank adapted to be partially filled with liquid refrigerant, a jet exhauster comprising a 135 suction chamber, a nozzle projecting into the suction chamber, and a delivery tube positioned to receive the jet and projecting into the upper portion of the tank above the liquid refrigerant, a pump, inlet and outlet conduits for the pump 140 communicating with the lower portion of the tank and the nozzle respectively, and'means for driving the pump.

8. In a refrigerating apparatus, a closed compression tank adapted to be partially filled with 145 liquid refrigerant, ay jet eXhauster comprising a suction chamber, a nozzle projecting into the suction chamber, and a delivery tube positioned to receive the jet and projecting into the upper portion of the tank above the liquid refrigerant, a

pump, inlet and outlet conduits for the pump communicating with the lower portion of the tank and the nozzle respectively. means for driving the pump. and baille plates positioned in the upper portion of the tank to divert the liquid stream downwardly.

9. In a refrigerating apparatus. a closed compression tank adapted to be partially filled with liquid refrigerant, a jet exhauster comprisng a suction chamber, a nozzle projecting into the suction chamber, and a delivery tube positioned 

